All Caving Field Trips

List of all caving field trips.

Ever wonder what kind of bat that might be hanging from the ceiling from the cave? Bats can be tricky to identify especially while in flight, but during hibernation you have more time to look at the differences in the bats features, such as hair color, body size, ear shape etc. This workshop will show participants how to identify hibernating bats. This workshop will include both some indoor time along with some in cave time. Participants need helmets, headlamps and a notebook, preferably a rite in the rain notebook.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Find some hidden secrets in these wild and once often-visited park caves. Dripping dome rooms, scalloped rock passages, huge breakdown, a belly-crawl connection between caves, and a room filled with dozens of mini bathtub-like dams are just a few of the treasures you'll discover. These caves contain active streams. Be prepared to have wet feet, wet hands, possibly more if you slip! Water bottle/snack suggested. Total outdoor hike of at least 1.5 miles required over hilly terrain, so be mindful of the weather and dress appropriately!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave is one of the largest of over 200 caves in Carter County and is noted for its large chambers and numerous cave formations. Set your sights on the reflecting pool in the Lake Room, and the geologic diversity of the Cathedral Room. Finally entice yourself with our majestic 30-feet high underground waterfall. This is a commercially lit walking tour of the cave.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Cascade Cave is one of the largest of over 200 caves in Carter County and is noted for its large chambers and numerous cave formations. Set your sights on the reflecting pool in the Lake Room, and the geologic diversity of the Cathedral Room. Finally entice yourself with our majestic 30-feet high underground waterfall. This is a commercially lit walking tour of the cave.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

A commercially lit tour of X-Cave. X-Cave has two vertical joint passages that meander through a large layer of limestone, which puts you up-close to many beautiful cave formations. Some of the highlighted features include turkey rock, the pipe organ, and the giant column, which is the largest cave formation found at the park. Be aware of your surroundings and you will discover how this cave became known as "X-Cave."

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Cascade Cave has been developed for commercial tours, but the fun begins when you head into the darkness and leave the tourist route behind. Participant will get a chance to walk the commercial routes and enjoy the formations along with scrambling over breakdown, attempting some duck walking, and experiencing some hand and knee crawls. Cascade is one of the largest caves found at park, and in my opinion, this tour is one of the best ways to appreciate its size. This tour, unlike the commercial tour, will cause some of those assorted aches and pains associated with caving.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Find some hidden secrets in these wild and once often-visited park caves. Dripping dome rooms, scalloped rock passages, huge breakdown, a belly-crawl connection between caves, and a room filled with dozens of mini bathtub-like dams are just a few of the treasures you'll discover. These caves contain active streams. Be prepared to have wet feet, wet hands, possibly more if you slip! Water bottle/snack suggested. Total outdoor hike of at least 1.5 miles required over hilly terrain, so be mindful of the weather and dress appropriately!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Sandy Cave has a huge and long trunk passage that is part of the Cascade Cave system. It also provides some interesting areas that are accessed by crawling and climbing. The entrance is through a karst window with a 70-foot pool of deep water at its bottom. The guides intend to lower a john boat to the pool and offer a boat ride to dry land. This is subject to cancellation if potential flooding conditions occur. Participants must help carry the boat through the woods for 1/2 mile to the cave on Friday afternoon trip and from the cave on the 10:00 Sunday morning trip. This cave is only accessible during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave is one of the largest of over 200 caves in Carter County and is noted for its large chambers and numerous cave formations. Set your sights on the reflecting pool in the Lake Room, and the geologic diversity of the Cathedral Room. Finally entice yourself with our majestic 30-feet high underground waterfall. This is a commercially lit walking tour of the cave.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

A commercially lit tour of X-Cave. X-Cave has two vertical joint passages that meander through a large layer of limestone, which puts you up-close to many beautiful cave formations. Some of the highlighted features include turkey rock, the pipe organ, and the giant column, which is the largest cave formation found at the park. Be aware of your surroundings and you will discover how this cave became known as "X-Cave."

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Take a trip into Cascade Cave and see it like the old timer's (e.g. John Tierney) back in the day. We will go caving in Cascade Cave with only carbide lamps, and ONLY old-style carbide lamps. No newer type carbide generators, LED's or battery-powered lamps will be allowed. This trip will show you how the cave looked to the early explorers of the area when all they had was flame-type carbide lamps. We will tell you the history of the carbide lamp and how its simple design brought dependable light to miners and cavers throughout Kentucky back in the early 1900's. We will show you the exact spot where back in 1923, John Tierney scared a hibernating bear and then accidently blew out his carbide lamp and was stuck in the cave for two days until he was rescued by park staff. This is but one of many stories associated with this cave. If you have an older type carbide cap lamp that is in working order please bring it. We will also supply carbide lamps for the rest of the group to use. There will be some stooping, bending and crawling involved so level 2 caving equipment is required minus the lights.

Required Equipment:
Helmet may be required.
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.Read More.

Prepare for an expedition into the depths of the earth and your imagination. We'll take a mock multi-day cave expedition to a base camp in the ancient cave system of the Cascades. Cavers will team up with Sherpa's to setup a deep base camp as we spend one Friday night in the cavern. Once camp is set we will take off and do some exploring of the unknown passages that lies ahead. We will likely encountering passages requiring stooping bending and crawling so level 2 cave gear is required. All overnight gear is to be supplied by the participant including a required 3 sources of light. Gear must be limited to cold weather camping gear and a tarp or piece of plastic to keep your gear on. Bring caving stories, caving questions, and caving lies to share around the base camp. All participants 17yrs and under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, no exceptions!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Eastern KY has a rich and proud coal mining heritage. This trip will strive to show the participants what it was actually like to work in the mines with only the light of various flame lamps. From early clamshell lamps to carbide, the last flame lamp, this will be a history and hands on experience of how the miners did their hard work underground with barely enough light to see. We will have working original examples and explain the history of each type of mine light. You will see original photographs from the day of not only the miners, but also the kids as young as 6 years old that worked in the mines day in and day out. Trip will take place on the commercial routes of Cascade Cave. No Flashlights will be used, participants will be provided a carbide miners light (one light per two people) to light the path ahead.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Sandy Cave has a huge and long trunk passage that is part of the Cascade Cave system. It also provides some interesting areas that are accessed by crawling and climbing. The entrance is through a karst window with a 70-foot pool of deep water at its bottom. The guides intend to lower a john boat to the pool and offer a boat ride to dry land. This is subject to cancellation if potential flooding conditions occur. Participants must help carry the boat through the woods for 1/2 mile to the cave on Friday afternoon trip and from the cave on the 10:00 Sunday morning trip. This cave is only accessible during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

While the bats are sleeping in the front of the cave, we will be entering into the back of the cave after a quarter mile hike to the cave entrance. Bat Cave is a completely wild cave with the exception of the cave gates. This trip is a combination of walking, duck walking, scrambling over breakdown piles, creek crossings, belly slides, and hand and knee crawls. You get the whole package with the cave being a combination of dry, muddy and wet. How wet you get depends on how merciful your guide is.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Find some hidden secrets in these wild and once often-visited park caves. Dripping dome rooms, scalloped rock passages, huge breakdown, a belly-crawl connection between caves, and a room filled with dozens of mini bathtub-like dams are just a few of the treasures you'll discover. These caves contain active streams. Be prepared to have wet feet, wet hands, possibly more if you slip! Water bottle/snack suggested. Total outdoor hike of at least 1.5 miles required over hilly terrain, so be mindful of the weather and dress appropriately!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

This is an extensive cave system with many dusty crawling and walking passageways. The dust will be flying in the crawls so if you have breathing problems this is not the trip for you. Highlights include encountering the famous Bills Crawl, a 100 ft. belly crawl utilizing only your elbows and toes. The trip to the cave entrance is a 300 ft. climb up a 30 degree banking, so you should be in good health to participate in this trip and have past caving experience. This cave is one with a long history including a short stint as a commercial cave in the late 1800s. In case of cold weather, it is suggested you wear a coat to the cave entrance and leave it until the return. Note: 20 miles of car travel roundtrip. These caves are on private property and we have permission to visit them during Winter Adventure Weekend Only!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

This hiking and caving trip will take you into the beautiful Tygart's Creek Gorge. This trip will consist of 1 1/2 hours of scenic hiking through rough terrain and steep inclines around Tygarts Creek. Along the way you will get to see two - three different wild caves. Skyscraper Cave is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in Carter County. On this trip you will have to navigate through a very narrow canyon passage and a very tight S-turn side crawl for about 15-20ft. But the formation filled room at the end makes it well worth the crawl getting there. After Skyscraper Cave you will venture off to another cave or two found within the Tygarts Creek Gorge. The caves are on private property and we have permission to visit the cave during Winter Adventure Weekend Only!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

View X-Cave in a way that most visitors do not - by flashlight only. We will turn out the commercial lights of the cave and cruise the passages with your flashlights. You can use your lights to discover the many cave formations that decorate the cave walls. A dependable light source is required for every participant. Keep your eyes peeled, and you may see some of the resident big brown bats hibernating in X-Cave.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

This trip is intended for new cavers and other interested persons. After a brief slide presentation and short lecture, we will take an easy trip into the back of Bat Cave. The group will travel approximately eight hundred feet into the cave, doing some walking over breakdown, some stoop-walking, and a short optional hands-and-knees crawl. The trip will include information on geology, bats, and caving techniques as well as a comparison and demonstration of basic caving equipment. There will be numerous opportunities for questions. Meets briefly in the Grayson Room of the Lodge before going to the cave; a short drive to the cave is involved. Transportation needed to Bat Cave.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

A BIG cave, with numerous entrances, and just getting there is a challenge. You'll hike about a half mile to the cave through cow pastures and steep sloping hills and maybe snow and ice, and then you must decide, "How wet do I really want to get?" Understand that eventually you'll be making that half mile hike back to your vehicle. Wet gear is recommended if you want to get really wet, but most will choose only to get their boots wet. There are only a few short necessary crawls, but for those of you that love to crawl, opportunities will be available. Bring a change of clothes for afterwards. NOTE: This trip attempts to avoid as much water as possible. NOTE: 25 miles of car travel round trip. The cave is on private property and we have permission to visit the cave only during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave has been developed for commercial tours, but the fun begins when you head into the darkness and leave the tourist route behind. Participant will get a chance to walk the commercial routes and enjoy the formations along with scrambling over breakdown, attempting some duck walking, and experiencing some hand and knee crawls. Cascade is one of the largest caves found at park, and in my opinion, this tour is one of the best ways to appreciate its size. This tour, unlike the commercial tour, will cause some of those assorted aches and pains associated with caving.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Sandy Cave has a huge and long trunk passage that is part of the Cascade Cave system. It also provides some interesting areas that are accessed by crawling and climbing. The entrance is through a karst window with a 70-foot pool of deep water at its bottom. The guides intend to lower a john boat to the pool and offer a boat ride to dry land. This is subject to cancellation if potential flooding conditions occur. Participants must help carry the boat through the woods for 1/2 mile to the cave on the Friday afternoon trip and from the cave on the 10:00 Sunday morning trip. This cave is only accessible during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

While the bats are sleeping in the front of the cave, we will be entering into the back of the cave after a quarter mile hike to the cave entrance. Bat Cave is a completely wild cave with the exception of the cave gates. This trip is a combination of walking, duck walking, scrambling over breakdown piles, creek crossings, belly slides, and hand and knee crawls. You get the whole package with the cave being a combination of dry, muddy and wet. How wet you get depends on how merciful your guide is.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

These are two interesting wet caves with some nice cave formations. Flood cave starts with a belly crawl entrance and opens into a nice walking passage. Hands and knee crawling as well as light climbing are required for the trip. Fern cave starts with a plunge into at least 3 feet of water in the entrance passageway. There is virtually no walking passage in fern cave considering the majority of the trip you will be straddling a water filled canyon. A 20-foot ladder climb is required to access the really pretty upper level of the cave. The trip requires about a 20-minute hike through some steep terrain. These caves are on private property and we have permission to visit it only during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

This trip will show you that Bat Cave does not have to be a cave for beginner cavers. On this trip you will visit most of the tight long crawl passages found within the cave. This trip consists of some walking passage, extended hand and knee crawls, rock scrambling, and belly crawls that will leave you wet, muddy, sore and exhausted.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave is one of the largest of over 200 caves in Carter County and is noted for its large chambers and numerous cave formations. Set your sights on the reflecting pool in the Lake Room, and the geologic diversity of the Cathedral Room. Finally entice yourself with our majestic 30-feet high underground waterfall. This is a commercially lit walking tour of the cave.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

A BIG cave, with numerous entrances, and just getting there is a challenge. You'll hike about a half mile to the cave through cow pastures and steep sloping hills and maybe snow and ice, and then you must decide, "How wet do I really want to get?" Understand that eventually you'll be making that half mile hike back to your vehicle. Wet gear is recommended if you want to get really wet, but most will choose only to get their boots wet. There are only a few short necessary crawls, but for those of you that love to crawl, opportunities will be available. Bring a change of clothes for afterwards. NOTE: This trip attempts to avoid as much water as possible. NOTE: 25 miles of car travel round trip. The cave is on private property and we have permission to visit the cave only during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

While the bats are sleeping in the front of the cave, we will be entering into the back of the cave after a quarter mile hike to the cave entrance. Bat Cave is a completely wild cave with the exception of the cave gates. This trip is a combination of walking, duck walking, scrambling over breakdown piles, creek crossings, belly slides, and hand and knee crawls. You get the whole package with the cave being a combination of dry, muddy and wet. How wet you get depends on how merciful your guide is.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave has been developed for commercial tours, but the fun begins when you head into the darkness and leave the tourist route behind. Participant will get a chance to walk the commercial routes and enjoy the formations along with scrambling over breakdown, attempting some duck walking, and experiencing some hand and knee crawls. Cascade is one of the largest caves found at park, and in my opinion, this tour is one of the best ways to appreciate its size. This tour, unlike the commercial tour, will cause some of those assorted aches and pains associated with caving.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

These are two interesting wet caves with some nice cave formations. Flood cave starts with a belly crawl entrance and opens into a nice walking passage. Hands and knee crawling as well as light climbing are required for the trip. Fern cave starts with a plunge into at least 3 feet of water in the entrance passageway. There is virtually no walking passage in fern cave considering the majority of the trip you will be straddling a water filled canyon. A 20-foot ladder climb is required to access the really pretty upper level of the cave. The trip requires about a 20-minute hike through some steep terrain. These caves are on private property and we have permission to visit it only during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Take a trip into Cascade Cave and see it like the old timer's (e.g. John Tierney) back in the day. We will go caving in Cascade Cave with only carbide lamps, and ONLY old-style carbide lamps. No newer type carbide generators, LED's or battery-powered lamps will be allowed. This trip will show you how the cave looked to the early explorers of the area when all they had was flame-type carbide lamps. We will tell you the history of the carbide lamp and how its simple design brought dependable light to miners and cavers throughout Kentucky back in the early 1900's. We will show you the exact spot where back in 1923, John Tierney scared a hibernating bear and then accidently blew out his carbide lamp and was stuck in the cave for two days until he was rescued by park staff. This is but one of many stories associated with this cave. If you have an older type carbide cap lamp that is in working order please bring it. We will also supply carbide lamps for the rest of the group to use. There will be some stooping, bending and crawling involved so level 2 caving equipment is required minus the lights.

Required Equipment:
Helmet may be required.
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.Read More.

Tucked back in the woods of Carter Caves State Park is a cave that is noted for its large passages. Instead of electric light we will explore this cave, like the explorers of yore, in the soft ambiance of lantern light. Although you should bring your electric lights for safety purposes we request that they remain off during this trip. Past experience has shown us that adults appreciate this particular trip more than children. This is subject to cancellation if potential flooding conditions occur. This cave is only accessible during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

While the bats are sleeping in the front of the cave, we will be entering into the back of the cave after a quarter mile hike to the cave entrance. Bat Cave is a completely wild cave with the exception of the cave gates. This trip is a combination of walking, duck walking, scrambling over breakdown piles, creek crossings, belly slides, and hand and knee crawls. You get the whole package with the cave being a combination of dry, muddy and wet. How wet you get depends on how merciful your guide is.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

A commercially lit tour of X-Cave. X-Cave has two vertical joint passages that meander through a large layer of limestone, which puts you up-close to many beautiful cave formations. Some of the highlighted features include turkey rock, the pipe organ, and the giant column, which is the largest cave formation found at the park. Be aware of your surroundings and you will discover how this cave became known as "X-Cave."

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Find some hidden secrets in these wild and once often-visited park caves. Dripping dome rooms, scalloped rock passages, huge breakdown, a belly-crawl connection between caves, and a room filled with dozens of mini bathtub-like dams are just a few of the treasures you'll discover. These caves contain active streams. Be prepared to have wet feet, wet hands, possibly more if you slip! Water bottle/snack suggested. Total outdoor hike of at least 1.5 miles required over hilly terrain, so be mindful of the weather and dress appropriately!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

The group will hike from the Welcome Center to the back entrance of Horn Hollow Cave, visiting other cave entrances and karst features during the trip. Caving techniques, equipment, how the caves formed, and associated geologic features will be discussed during the trip. A low 100-foot belly crawl in Horn Hollow Cave is optional. On this trip, half the time will be spent above ground; be prepared to dress appropriately for the weather. You will need to sign up separately from the other Caving, Let's Do It Right trip held earlier in the day. Level 2 Cave equipment is required and your feet may get wet.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Tween and teen cavers out there will enjoy this down-and-dirty look inside one of Carter Caves' most highly-decorated commercial tour caves. We'll explore the usual tour route, then sample some of the more fun crawls, including a visit to a rarely seen natural entrance. Expect some mud, a little water and rocky crawls - some guided by other tween cavers. Ages 6 to 15, but we'll take parents too! In fact, all cavers MUST be accompanied by an adult, and we'll have activities suitable to different age groups.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Sandy Cave has a huge and long trunk passage that is part of the Cascade Cave system. It also provides some interesting areas that are accessed by crawling and climbing. The entrance is through a karst window with a 70-foot pool of deep water at its bottom. The guides intend to lower a john boat to the pool and offer a boat ride to dry land. This is subject to cancellation if potential flooding conditions occur. Participants must help carry the boat through the woods for 1/2 mile to the cave on the Friday afternoon trip and from the cave on the 10:00 Sunday morning trip. This cave is only accessible during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

While the bats are sleeping in the front of the cave, we will be entering into the back of the cave after a quarter mile hike to the cave entrance. Bat Cave is a completely wild cave with the exception of the cave gates. This trip is a combination of walking, duck walking, scrambling over breakdown piles, creek crossings, belly slides, and hand and knee crawls. You get the whole package with the cave being a combination of dry, muddy and wet. How wet you get depends on how merciful your guide is.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave has been developed for commercial tours, but the fun begins when you head into the darkness and leave the tourist route behind. Participant will get a chance to walk the commercial routes and enjoy the formations along with scrambling over breakdown, attempting some duck walking, and experiencing some hand and knee crawls. Cascade is one of the largest caves found at park, and in my opinion, this tour is one of the best ways to appreciate its size. This tour, unlike the commercial tour, will cause some of those assorted aches and pains associated with caving.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

While the bats are sleeping in the front of the cave, we will be entering into the back of the cave after a quarter mile hike to the cave entrance. Bat Cave is a completely wild cave with the exception of the cave gates. This trip is a combination of walking, duck walking, scrambling over breakdown piles, creek crossings, belly slides, and hand and knee crawls. You get the whole package with the cave being a combination of dry, muddy and wet. How wet you get depends on how merciful your guide is.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Find some hidden secrets in these wild and once often-visited park caves. Dripping dome rooms, scalloped rock passages, huge breakdown, a belly-crawl connection between caves, and a room filled with dozens of mini bathtub-like dams are just a few of the treasures you'll discover. These caves contain active streams. Be prepared to have wet feet, wet hands, possibly more if you slip! Water bottle/snack suggested. Total outdoor hike of at least 1.5 miles required over hilly terrain, so be mindful of the weather and dress appropriately!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave is one of the largest of over 200 caves in Carter County and is noted for its large chambers and numerous cave formations. Set your sights on the reflecting pool in the Lake Room, and the geologic diversity of the Cathedral Room. Finally entice yourself with our majestic 30-feet high underground waterfall. This is a commercially lit walking tour of the cave.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

A commercially lit tour of X-Cave. X-Cave has two vertical joint passages that meander through a large layer of limestone, which puts you up-close to many beautiful cave formations. Some of the highlighted features include turkey rock, the pipe organ, and the giant column, which is the largest cave formation found at the park. Be aware of your surroundings and you will discover how this cave became known as "X-Cave."

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Eastern KY has a rich and proud coal mining heritage. This trip will strive to show the participants what it was actually like to work in the mines with only the light of various flame lamps. From early clamshell lamps to carbide, the last flame lamp, this will be a history and hands on experience of how the miners did their hard work underground with barely enough light to see. We will have working original examples and explain the history of each type of mine light. You will see original photographs from the day of not only the miners, but also the kids as young as 6 years old that worked in the mines day in and day out. Trip will take place on the commercial routes of Cascade Cave. No Flashlights will be used, participants will be provided a carbide miners light (one light per two people) to light the path ahead.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Find some hidden secrets in these wild and once often-visited park caves. Dripping dome rooms, scalloped rock passages, huge breakdown, a belly-crawl connection between caves, and a room filled with dozens of mini bathtub-like dams are just a few of the treasures you'll discover. These caves contain active streams. Be prepared to have wet feet, wet hands, possibly more if you slip! Water bottle/snack suggested. Total outdoor hike of at least 1.5 miles required over hilly terrain, so be mindful of the weather and dress appropriately!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Sandy Cave has a huge and long trunk passage that is part of the Cascade Cave system. It also provides some interesting areas that are accessed by crawling and climbing. The entrance is through a karst window with a 70-foot pool of deep water at its bottom. The guides intend to lower a john boat to the pool and offer a boat ride to dry land. This is subject to cancellation if potential flooding conditions occur. Participants must help carry the boat through the woods for 1/2 mile to the cave the Friday afternoon trip and from the cave on the 10:00 Sunday morning trip. This cave is only accessible during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

While the bats are sleeping in the front of the cave, we will be entering into the back of the cave after a quarter mile hike to the cave entrance. Bat Cave is a completely wild cave with the exception of the cave gates. This trip is a combination of walking, duck walking, scrambling over breakdown piles, creek crossings, belly slides, and hand and knee crawls. You get the whole package with the cave being a combination of dry, muddy and wet. How wet you get depends on how merciful your guide is.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

This hiking and caving trip will take you into the beautiful Tygart's Creek Gorge. This trip will consist of 1 1/2 hours of scenic hiking through rough terrain and steep inclines around Tygarts Creek. Along the way you will get to see two - three different wild caves. Skyscraper Cave is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in Carter County. On this trip you will have to navigate through a very narrow canyon passage and a very tight S-turn side crawl for about 15-20ft. But the formation filled room at the end makes it well worth the crawl getting there. After Skyscraper Cave you will venture off to another cave or two found within the Tygarts Creek Gorge. The caves are on private property and we have permission to visit the cave during Winter Adventure Weekend Only!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave has been developed for commercial tours, but the fun begins when you head into the darkness and leave the tourist route behind. Participant will get a chance to walk the commercial routes and enjoy the formations along with scrambling over breakdown, attempting some duck walking, and experiencing some hand and knee crawls. Cascade is one of the largest caves found at park, and in my opinion, this tour is one of the best ways to appreciate its size. This tour, unlike the commercial tour, will cause some of those assorted aches and pains associated with caving.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

View X-Cave in a way that most visitors do not - by flashlight only. We will turn out the commercial lights of the cave and cruise the passages with your flashlights. You can use your lights to discover the many cave formations that decorate the cave walls. A dependable light source is required for every participant. Keep your eyes peeled, and you may see some of the resident big brown bats hibernating in X-Cave.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

Tween and teen cavers out there will enjoy this down-and-dirty look inside one of Carter Caves' most highly-decorated commercial tour caves. We'll explore the usual tour route, then sample some of the more fun crawls, including a visit to a rarely seen natural entrance. Expect some mud, a little water and rocky crawls - some guided by other tween cavers. Ages 6 to 15, but we'll take parents too! In fact, all cavers MUST be accompanied by an adult, and we'll have activities suitable to different age groups.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

While the bats are sleeping in the front of the cave, we will be entering into the back of the cave after a quarter mile hike to the cave entrance. Bat Cave is a completely wild cave with the exception of the cave gates. This trip is a combination of walking, duck walking, scrambling over breakdown piles, creek crossings, belly slides, and hand and knee crawls. You get the whole package with the cave being a combination of dry, muddy and wet. How wet you get depends on how merciful your guide is.

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Sandy Cave has a huge and long trunk passage that is part of the Cascade Cave system. It also provides some interesting areas that are accessed by crawling and climbing. The entrance is through a karst window with a 70-foot pool of deep water at its bottom. The guides intend to lower a john boat to the pool and offer a boat ride to dry land. This is subject to cancellation if potential flooding conditions occur. Participants must help carry the boat through the woods for 1/2 mile to the cave on the Friday afternoon trip and from the cave on the 10:00 Sunday morning trip. This cave is only accessible during Winter Adventure Weekend!

Required Equipment:
Helmet with chin strap.
Three sources of light with one headlamp.
Knee pads and gloves.
Ankle-high boots.
Pack to carry supplies.
Old clothing.Read More.

Cascade Cave is one of the largest of over 200 caves in Carter County and is noted for its large chambers and numerous cave formations. Set your sights on the reflecting pool in the Lake Room, and the geologic diversity of the Cathedral Room. Finally entice yourself with our majestic 30-feet high underground waterfall. This is a commercially lit walking tour of the cave.

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.

A commercially lit tour of X-Cave. X-Cave has two vertical joint passages that meander through a large layer of limestone, which puts you up-close to many beautiful cave formations. Some of the highlighted features include turkey rock, the pipe organ, and the giant column, which is the largest cave formation found at the park. Be aware of your surroundings and you will discover how this cave became known as "X-Cave."

Required Equipment:
Two lights.
Shoes with good tread.
Old clothes and gloves.